Quality of Life Comparison

If you lived in Lesotho instead of United States, you would:

be 54.1% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese. In Lesotho, that number is 16.6% of people.

live 27.0 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 80 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women). In Lesotho, that number is 53 years (53 years for men, 53 years for women).

Economy

spend 24.2% less on taxes

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6%. In Lesotho, the top tax rate is 30.0%.

make 93.9% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $59,500, while in Lesotho, the GDP per capita is $3,600.

be 6.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In United States, 4.4% of adults are unemployed. In Lesotho, that number is 28.1%.

be 3.8 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line. In Lesotho, however, that number is 57.0%.

Life

have 96.8% more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.5 babies per 1,000 people. In Lesotho, there are 24.6 babies per 1,000 people.

be 34.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 14.0 women per 1,000 births die during labor. In Lesotho, 487.0 women do.

be 7.9 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.8 children die before they reach the age of one. In Lesotho, on the other hand, 46.1 children do.

Basic Needs

be 83.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In United States, 100% of the population has electricity access. In Lesotho, 17% of the population do.

be 64.0% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 76.2% of the population has internet access. In Lesotho, about 27.4% do.

be 17.5% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In United States, approximately 99% of people have improved drinking water access (99% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas). In Lesotho, that number is 82% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 77% in rural areas).

Expenditures

spend 38.0% less on healthcare

United States spends 17.1% of its total GDP on healthcare. In Lesotho, that number is 10.6% of GDP.

spend 2.3 times more on education

United States spends 5.0% of its total GDP on education. Lesotho spends 11.4% of total GDP on education.

Lesotho: At a glance

Lesotho is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 30,355 sq km. Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995 and subsequently succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Batswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties disputed how the electoral law was applied to award proportional seats in the Assembly. In May 2012, competitive elections involving 18 parties saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government - the first in the country's history - that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month.

How big is Lesotho compared to United States?
See an in-depth size comparison.